HISTORY OF GRAZ AG
The construct, that you can describe as a concern and nowadays represents a modern service-business conducted as joint-stock company, can look back onto a very diversified history back to the middle of the 19th century.
In July 1960 a conversion took place which means that the construct which afterwards changed into a so to say care- and traffic-business of the City of Graz ( 99,46% of the shares are property of the provincial capital of Graz, the rest of it is divided among the provincial capital of Salzburg, Innsbruck, Klagenfurt and Eisenstadt) - a new development started, to fulfill the increasingly interconnection of the economic activities of a growing town and due to a modern management the company was able to correspond with the local-economic requirements, finally Grazer Stadtwerke got a contemporary organisation form.
Due to the decision to untie the community-companies from the administration apparatus by building an autonomous economic building including a legal status of its own, the provincial capital of Graz was the first town of Austria to follow this local-political way.
COMPANY CRONICLE
1960
Foundation of Grazer Stadtwerke joint-stock company including the sector of transport services, electricity, natural gas, district heating and water.
1962/63
The first horizon filterwell was at the disposal of hydroelectric power station Feldkrichen.
1963
The district heating supply was put into operation in Graz.
1966
The transformer station Graz-West was put into operation and it was the most important junction of Grazer electricity supply. The wheel facilities offered the possibility of a central circuit of the public illumination, of the hot water tank and of the electric heating.
1971
Foundation of water-association Hochschwab-Süd for saving the drinking-water supply in the area of Graz.
1976
Graz and its ten surrounding communities merged to the water-association for the surrounding of Graz.
1978
Switch on to direct supply with natural gas from city-gas.
1981
Launch of heating-support-law, which intended among all other things a fiscal furtherance for converting to district heating supply.
1985
The company sectors funeral, sports-, spare-time- and gastronomy facilities joined the joint-stock company. Grazer Stadtwerke joint-stock company undertook "Ankünder, Steiermärkische Ankündigungsges.m.b.H. as a 100% subsidiary.
1988/89
Due to the wintry smog situation in Graz a district heating-support-pact was set which Land Steiermark, City of Graz and Grazer Stadtwerke joint-stock company participated in.
1990
The transformer station Keplerbrücke, the most modern station in Austria, was put into operation and got the state-praise for well industrial building.
1992
Grazer-Anruf-Sammel-Taxi conducted its first trip in the area of Lustbühel/Ruckerlberg and Andritz.
1993
Grazer Stadtwerke joint-stock company founded the 100% subsidiary "Freizeitbetriebe der Grazer Stadtwerke GmbH“ and conducted the spare-time center Eggenberg. For the first time drink-water was fed into the mains of Graz from the southern Hochschwab near Friesach. Because of the purchase of Mühlgangkraftwerk Herrgottwiesgasse Grazer Stadtwerke joint-stock company disposed on three small-hydroelectric power stations and on a fotovoltaik facility.
1994
Grazer Schloßbergbahn celebrated its 100 years old existence. The same year the stations were rebuilt and modified so it could also be used by disabled persons.
1997
The sectors of sports-, spare-time- and gastronomy facilities were brought into the "Freizeitbetriebe der Grazer Stadtwerke GmbH“ . Furthermore " Bestattung der Grazer Stadtwerke GmbH“, „Citykom Graz Telekommunikation GmbH“, „Grazer Energieagentur GmbH“ and „Citykom Austria Telekommunikation GmbH“ were integrated.
1998
The profit center " WDS Wärmedirektservice“ split itself to integrate into the “Engergieanlagen-Planung und Service GmbH and changed its name into „WDS Wärmedirektservice der Grazer Stadtwerke GmbH“. After three years of construction time the new container Rosenberg was opened. The storage capacity rose from 45% to 70% of the average water need per day.
1999
Tramway celebrates the 100th anniversary of running by electricity. A marketing agreement with STEWEAG was signed with the aim of securing success by means of a common strategy. Electricity is now called SELECT. The implementation of a "profit center-structure" within the departments of the company is completed.
2001
The liberalisation of the electricity market per 1 October 2001 leads to new fixing of general conditions in the field of electricity. Custom-made Multi Utility packages are implemented in close co-operation with key customers for customer loyalty purposes. After a construction time of 2 years the new GVB-bus garage is opened in Kärntnerstrasse with a modern car wash. A new undertaker’s opens an office in Graz. “Bad zur Sonne” is incorporated in the swimming baths establishment of the Graz leisure establishments.
2002
As of 1 October, the natural gas market is opened 100%. The service orientated society "Styrian Aqua Service GmbH" is founded as a 100% subsidiary of Grazer Stadtwerke AG. Grazer Stadtwerke Energie Holding is founded in anticipation of the approaching split off of the energy domains into Energy Graz GmbH. The split off of the domains electricity, natural gas and district gas into Energy Graz GmbH takes place on 1 August. Grazer Stadtwerke AG owns 49% of Energy Graz, the ESTAG group acquires 49%, the city of Graz gets the remaining 2%.
2003
The Graz “Nightline”, a bus that runs during the night goes into service. In the course of the project ”Graz – Culture Capital 2003” staff members of GVB construct an open-topped bus, which can be hired for city tours, excursions etc.The first Passenger Information Systems at the bus stops go into service as an experiment. The merging of the Profit Center “Information Technique” and “IT Services” is supposed to lead to successful benefits of synergies. The new toboggan run, which operates in summer as well as in winter is opened on the plateau of the Schöckl.The swimming bath “Bad zur Sonne” positions with an exclusive wellness area called “Spa zur Sonne”.
2004
Grazer Stadtwerke AG acquire 100% of Graz airport, thus completing their regional traffic range in a optimal way. The “Schloßberg” funicular railway with new, modern cars goes into service. The new mobility center at Jakominiplatz, a new service center for all GVB customers is opened to the public. In addition to the existing main office in Grazbachgasse the Graz Undertaker’s opens up a modern branch at the urn cemetary. New structures are implemented into the organisation. The 5 main competences of the group are now “ Traffic”, “Water”, “Energy”, “Communication & Advertising” as well as “Municipal Services” with leisure and burial.